The goals of the Cytokine Core Facility of the CWRU CFAR are to provide members of the CFAR and CWRU research community access to the most modern techniques and expertise for measurement of cytokines, and to develop, test and apply novel methods for detection of cytokines and cytokine producing cells. Cytokines are critical mediators of the host response to infectious pathogens such as HIV-1 and M. tuberculosis, and cytokine biology is an essential component of much of the multidisciplinary AIDS research at CWRU. Studies range from investigations of cytokine dysregulation in HIV-1 and mycobacterial infection to cytokine immunotherapy and to determination of the roles of cytokines in host defense to HIV-1 and the opportunistic pathogens of advanced HIV-1 disease. The primary site of the Cytokine Core Facility is a dedicated 350 square foot laboratory in the biomedical research building (BRB) at CWRU. In addition, close interaction with the ACTG Immunology Advanced Technology Laboratory (ATL) and the Tuberculosis Research Unit (TBRU) at CWRU extend both the technical scope and capabilities of the cytokine core. The Cytokine Core Facility is unique and has no overlap with other core facilities at CWRU. The Cytokine Core has been critical to the following NIH-funded projects: Tuberculosis prevention and control (AI-43244, J.J. Ellner); A human model of protective immunity (AI-35207, J.J. Ellner); Heterogeneity of T cells in Mtb infection (AI-27243, W.H. Boom); Immunosuppression in mycobacterial disease (AI-18471, Z. Toossi); Expression of TB in the lung (HL-51630, E.A. Rich); Interaction of M tb. and HIV in the lung (HL-51536, Z. Toossi).